Mother, Alice, and Clara fussed over the final details, smoothing folds and adjusting the placement of the veil.
“You look like a dream,” Clara whispered, her eyes misty as Alice smoothed her skirts.
“She looks like herself,” Mother said warmly, placing a steadying hand on Eden’s shoulder. “Radiant and strong.”
Eden smiled, nerves and joy warring within her.
“Are you ready, my darling?” Mother asked.
Eden took a deep breath, feeling the weight and wonder of the moment settle over her.
“I have never been more ready,” she whispered.
In the hallway outside, the household staff had gathered to catch a glimpse of her, eyes shining with affection. Mrs. Tilly pressed a hand to her chest, whispering, “Just like her mother.” The butler bowed low, and the maids exchanged smiles, their eyes shining with emotion.
* * *
The ceremony was to be held in the village church, beneath an arch festooned with garlands of wildflowers and ribbons in shades of blue and white. Guests filled the rows of pews, their faces alight with anticipation.
Gabriel stood at the altar, anticipation coiled tight as he waited. Just a year ago, he would have laughed at the thought of this moment—of redemption, of belonging, of love freely given and fiercely returned. He remembered standing alone in Blackstone Manor, wondering if he would ever find peace. Now, with Eden about to walk toward him, he knew that every misstep had led to this rightness. This clarity. He wore a deep blue coat with silver embroidery, a simple white cravat, and a rose pinned to his lapel. His green eyes never wavered from the path where Eden would appear.
Thomas, standing proudly beside him as his best man, leaned closer and murmured, “Steady now. Remember what I told you after that disastrous fencing match? You breathe, you center yourself, and you face what is ahead like a Langley.”
Gabriel managed a tight smile. “Do you remember when I told you I did not believe in fate? I was wrong. I have waited all my days for this without knowing it was her I was waiting for.”
The music shifted, and the guests rose to their feet.
Eden appeared at the top of the aisle, her arm linked through her mother’s. Gasps of admiration rippled through the crowd, followed by a hush. Eden caught the shimmer of emotion in Gabriel’s eyes, something between awe and gratitude, and from the rafters above, the quiet rustle of a dove’s wings broke the silence, heightening the moment’s sacred stillness, as if even the breeze paused in reverence.
Gabriel’s breath caught. She was a vision. His vision. His future.
Each step she took brought her closer, her gaze locked on his. The subtle creak of the church floor echoed beneath her slippers, but all she could hear was the steady beat of hope pulsing louder in her chest with each breath. Her heart answered his with every beat, her breath catching as joy rose within her, bright and steady as the morning sun.
When she reached him, Mother pressed a kiss to her forehead and placed her hand in Gabriel’s.
“Take good care of her,” she said.
“Always,” Gabriel vowed.
The officiant’s voice rang out, clear and strong, as the ceremony began. Eden glanced at Gabriel, her heart fluttering anew—not with nerves, but with the solemn thrill of knowing every soul present bore witness to their love. Gabriel, for his part, felt the hush around them as a sacred vow in itself, the stillness of the moment deepening his certainty that there could never be another like Eden.
Gabriel’s fingers tightened gently around Eden’s, grounding himself in her touch.
“Eden,” he said, his voice thick with emotion, “you are my heart, my light, my redemption. I vow to cherish you, to honor you, and to walk beside you, whatever storms may come. With you, I have found my home.”
Tears shimmered in Eden’s eyes as she said, “Gabriel, you are my strength, my joy, my beloved. I vow to stand with you, to dream with you, and to build a life filled with laughter and love. With you, I have found my future.”
The vicar smiled warmly.
“By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife.”
Cheers and applause erupted as Gabriel swept Eden into his arms and kissed her. Alice clapped through tears, her smile radiant. Clara let out a delighted cheer, gripping Alice’s hand. From the back rows, servants and villagers alike whooped and waved handkerchiefs. A ghost of a smile touched Thomas’s lips as he lifted his chin in a quiet salute, his gaze warm with approval.
The wedding breakfast bloomed with color and melody, filled with the scent of blooming roses, the sweet tang of chilled claret, and the warm caress of the summer breeze. Long tables laden with food and drink stretched across the lawn. There were dances and toasts, laughter and happy tears.
During one particularly heartfelt speech, Thomas raised his glass and said, “To my sister, Eden, whose courage has reminded me of what it means to choose joy. And to Gabriel, a man who once stood in shadow and found his way into the light, not just for himself, but for her. May your love continue to grow not despite the past, but because of it.”
He ended with a final wish, “May your days be filled with as much joy as you have given each other, and may your love be the kind that others look to with hope.”
